Injuries: Roadblock or Detour? Let us image ourselves at a point in our athletic career when we are constantly reaching and achieving our goals, if not completely blowing them out of the water. We are finally making those neurological connections and the transition in the muscle up has now been knocked off our “things to dominate” list. Now we start to make even loftier goals, when unexpectedly we have found ourselves side lined with an injury. My question to you now, in the peak of your performance, is this injury going to be a Hoover Dam sized road block or just an extra mile out of the way detour to those lofty goals, cause remember, you still have goals. Injuries can without doubt be devastating, not just physically but mentally as well. For any one who is active, whether for personal health, profession, or sport, you now have to worry about dealing with a body that isn’t working the way you want it to. In an article called “How to Overcome an Injury” by Carrie Cheadle, M.A. (click here to read full article), it states that there are two main “mental skills” that need to be embraced in order to deal with over coming your injury. “One of the most difficult and yet most important mental skills to focus on when you are injured is focusing on what you CAN do versus focusing on what you CAN’T do. When you are injured you can become consumed with all of the things you can no longer do. When you are injured, you are still an athlete. It feels like you aren’t because a piece of your identity has been taken away. You are no longer able to do what you are passionate about. Once you are injured, your “sport” is now your rehab and recovery and you need to shift your focus to that performance. You can become an elite athlete when it comes to recovering from your injury.” I once had an athlete tell me they were not going to log any of their times/ weights until they were back to where they were before they were injured, WHAT?!?! I ask you this, how will you know the progress you’ve made when you don’t even know where you started? Your performance during your recovery is just as important as your performance before your injury. “The second most difficult yet most important mental skill when it comes to overcoming an injury is managing your stress. Long-term psychological stress suppresses your immune system, it slows down your bodies ability to heal wounds. Stress hits us hardest when we feel like we have no control over a situation, like when we sustain an injury. Focusing on what you CAN do helps you feel more in control and feeling in control can lower your psychological stress. Decide to be the best you can be at your recovery. Stick to your rehab, rest when you need to, stay positive, keep moving forward, and most important – reach out for support when you need it.” When you find yourself injured acknowledge it, denial is not just a river in Egypt. Seek medical evaluation and find out your limitations/ restrictions. Bring that information to your friendly neighborhood trainer and start working on a rehab plan, and then let’s rock that plan like it's 1999! Injuries do not need to be a roadblock that stops us dead in our tracks of athletic progress, they can be merely a detour. The end goal is the same, we just need to take a different, and little longer, path to get there.

Congrats to the newlyweds!!!!!
Love is a beautiful thing!!! Felicia have a great day can't wait until your back!!!!
Travis thank you for the early post!!! :-)

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Felicia

6/25/2013 07:54:11 pm

Thanks Jess! I can't wait to be back in the box and WOD with you all! Xo

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Tom

6/24/2013 02:24:11 am

Thank you Travis. Miss you guys.

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Felicia

6/25/2013 07:54:43 pm

I second that!

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Jessica C

6/24/2013 02:26:18 am

Congrats Tom you look so happy! Felicia hope you have an awesome birthday.

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Felicia

6/25/2013 07:57:44 pm

Thanks! I had a great birthday, it was beyond awesome! Xoxo

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Karin

6/24/2013 03:57:23 am

Congratulations Tom! Happy birthday Felicia! Hope you both have a wonderful birthday/honeymoon. See you soon at the box. :)

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Felicia

6/25/2013 08:00:40 pm

Thanks Karin! I miss you guys too! I'm not used to being so inactive, it's driving me crazy - I can start working out again once they remove the 25 staples in my head !!

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Chris

6/24/2013 07:22:25 am

Special order suit to fit the Crossfit beast? Lookin good and lookin happy...congrats!

Happy Birthday Felicia. You too were lookin good in the wedding pictures and lookin happy. So glad to see you doing do well. Looking forward to your presence at the box.

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Felicia

6/25/2013 08:06:56 pm

I feel like a brand new woman! You were the very first card I received and I hold that super soft monkey so tight every night. Your wife is amazing and I am partially bouncing back so quick because of the care I had received. I want to get back in the box and show off this perma-smile now plastered all over my face! Love you Bud!

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Lisa B

6/25/2013 04:00:34 am

You guys look so great! Tom, those double workouts paid off - looking handsome, young man. Congratulations to the two of you. Now you just need to get that new wife of yours to the box - we want to meet her!

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Felicia

6/25/2013 08:11:15 pm

We have been working on Emily, you will get to meet her soon, she's such a doll and absolutely a perfect match for my brother! Xoxoxoxoooo